AP Psychology Syllabus
Mr. Azcona
Room 100
Class Schedule
AP Psychology is a yearlong course that will meet daily for 53 minutes.
Course Purpose:
This AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the history and
foundations of psychology and to introduce the scientific study of why humans
behave and think the way they do. This is accomplished by applying the
principles of the scientific method (e.g., generating a hypothesis, observation,
and proposing a theory), and by applying the seven perspectives on human
behavior: the biological, evolutionary, developmental, cognitive, humanistic,
behavioral, and trait views.
Course Objectives:
1. Students will understand psychology as a science, including the techniques
used and psychological perspectives.
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the mind-body connection, including
sensory process and development.
3. Students will explore thought, including learning, memory, cognition, and
intelligence
4. Students will evaluate theories of personality, motivation, and emotion in the
development of self.
5. Students will learn to view human behavior from the behavioral, cognitive, and
biological perspectives.
6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of maladaptive behavior, stress,
and adjustment.
7. Students will be prepared to take the A.P. Exam.
Resources for Teaching A.P. Psychology
1. Textbook: Zimbardo, Phillip G. Psychology, AP Edition, Boston: Pearson and
A&B, 2007 (Includes
a student workbook).
2. Psychology, AP Edition, Boston: Pearson and A&B, 2007 – Ancillary materials
including teacher’s
handbook, PowerPoint presentations for all chapters, and a test generator with
tests designed after
the AP test including multiple choice and short response questions.
3. Zimbardo, Philip G. Discovering Psychology – PBS – TV Series: A complete
set of DVD’s to
compliment the textbook for all chapters.
4. Activities Handbook for the Teaching of Psychology, Volumes 1 - 4, published
by the APA
5. Membership in TOPSS
6. A.P. released exams for psychology and other support materials provided by
the College Board.
Grading Policy
The course grade is calculated by a points system. Students receive points for
assignments, papers,tests, and other work. Each is worth approximately the
following percentage of the grade:
Homework, and graded class work, .……………………………40%
Quizzes, unit tests......................................................................................50%
Projects…………………………………………………………………………...10%
The grade is determined by dividing the points earned by the points possible
using a standard scale:
90% -- 100% = A
80% -- 89% = B
70% -- 79% = C
60% -- 69% = D
0% -- 59% = F
Course Outline
All chapters and materials that are relevant to the AP Exam will be covered
before the exam is administered in May. Each chapter will be covered in
approximately a two-week period, ending with the chapter test. Review for the
exam will begin approximately three-weeks before the exam date. The core
concepts listed for each chapter are those core concepts specific to the course
textbook. The objectives listed for each chapter are a combination of vocabulary,
concepts, theories, applications, and teacher-created assignments.
Chapter 1 – Introduction and History of Psychology
Core Concepts:
1. What is Psychology – And What Is It Not?
2. What Are Psychology’s Historical Roots?
3. What Are the Perspectives Psychologists Use Today?
Objectives:
Define psychology and identify what psychologists do.
Trace the history of psychology including identifying what structuralism,
functionalism, Gestalt, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, and cognitive approaches
are and how they contribute to psychology today.
Define, compare, and contrast the seven approaches to understanding human
behavior: biological, developmental, cognitive, psychodynamic, humanistic,
behavioral, sociocultural, evolutionary/socibiological, and trait views.
Chapter 2 – Research Methods
Core Concepts:
1. How Do Psychologists Develop New Knowledge?
2. How Do Psychologists Make Sense of the Data?
Objectives:
Identify and define the five steps of the scientific method.
Identify the types of psychological research.
Identify and define sources of bias in research.
Identify, compare, and contrast the areas of clinical psychology, counseling, and
therapy.
Discuss the ethics of research and identify the importance of ethics in research.
Identify the basic elements of an experiment.
Define and explain the importance of statistics in research with respect to
measures of central tendency and measures of variation.
Create a basic experimental design and apply the use of statistics.
Compare and contrast descriptive and inferential statistics, and learn how to
make inferences based on the data.
Chapter 3 – Biopsychology and the Foundations of Neuroscience
Core Concepts:
1. How Are Genes and Behavior Linked?
2. How Does the Body Communicate Internally?
3. How Does the Brain Produce Behavior and Mental Processes?
Objectives:
Identify and define the terms evolution and natural selection.
Explain genetics and inheritance.
Describe the structure of the neuron and explain how a neuron communicates.
Classify the divisions of the nervous system and the endocrine system and
compare and contrast those systems.
Classify the layers of the brain and the lobes of the cerebral cortex and explain
the function and purpose of each with relation to body and behaviors.
Identify cerebral dominance.
Discuss the split-brain studies.
Chapter 4 – Sensation and Perception
Core Concepts:
1. How Does Stimulation Become Sensation?
2. How Are the Senses Alike? How Are They Different?
3. What is the Relationship Between Sensation and Perception?
Objectives:
Explain the process of transduction with respect to each of the senses.
Compare and contrast the ideas behind Weber’s Law, Fechner’s Law, and
Steven’s Power Law of difference thresholds.
Compare and contrast the functions of the senses.
Compare and contrast the color theories.
Explain how perceptual ambiguity and distortion creates illusions.
Discuss Gestalt psychology and its importance in psychology.
Chapter 5 – States of Consciousness
Core Concepts:
1. How is Consciousness Related to Other Mental Processes?
2. What Cycles Occur in Everyday Consciousness?
3. What Other Forms Can Consciousness Take?
Objectives:
Define consciousness and classify the divisions of consciousness.
Identify the cycles of consciousness and the function of sleep.
Identify the importance of the sleep cycles with respect to REM and NREM
sleep, and compare and contrast the two.
Discuss the concept of daydreaming.
Explain and discuss altered conscious states such as hypnosis, meditation, and
the effects of psychoactive drugs.
Classify the psychoactive drugs (stimulants, depressants, opiates, and
hallucinogens) and explain the effects they have on the body and behaviors.
Discuss addiction, dependence, withdrawal, and tolerance of psychoactive
drugs.
Keep a dream journal and analyze dreams with respect to the different theories
as to why humans dream.
Chapter 6 – Learning
Core Concepts:
1. What Sort Of Learning Does Classical Conditioning Explain?
2. How Do We Learn New Behaviors By Operant Conditioning?
3. How Does Cognitive Psychology Explain Learning?
Objectives:
Identify the work of Ivan Pavlov and his contribution to psychology through the
concept of classical conditioning.
-Apply the concepts of classical conditioning.
Identify the work of B.F. Skinner and his contribution to psychology through the
concepts of operant conditioning.
Explain and discuss the importance of reinforcement.
Compare and contrast positive and negative reinforcement.
Explain the difference between reinforcement and punishment, primarily
negative reinforcement and punishment.
Compare and contrast classical and operant conditioning.
Identify innate and acquired biological conditions that can affect learning.
Discuss Albert Bandura’s observational learning study.
Complete a behavior modification activity.
Chapter 7 – Cognition
Core Concept:
1. What Is Memory?
2. How Do We Form Memories?
3. How Do We Retrieve Memories?
4. Why Does Memory Sometimes Fail Us?
5. How Do Children Acquire Language?
6. What Are the Components of Thought?
7. What Abilities do Good Thinkers Possess?
Objectives:
Classify the categories of memory (sensory, working, and long-term).
Discuss the structure and function of long-term memory (procedural,
declarative, episodic, and semantic) and the biological basis of long-term
memory.
Explain retrieval cues.
Discuss the differences between implicit and explicit memory.
Discuss the 7-sins of memory failure (transience, absent-mindedness, blocking,
misattribution, suggestibility, bias, persistence).
Apply the use of mnemonic devices.
Discuss the tools of problem solving (heuristics, trial and error, algorithms).
Explain creativity and its sources.
Describe the structure of language.
Chapter 8 – Emotion and Motivation
Core Concept:
1. What Do Our Emotions Do For Us?
2. Where Do Our Emotions Come From?
3. How Much Control Do We Have Over Our Emotions?
4. Motivation: What Makes Us Act as We Do?
5. How Are Achievement, Hunger, and Sex Alike? Different?
6. How and Why Do We Experience Stress?
Objectives:
Discuss the evolution of emotions.
Discuss the cultural differences and similarities in emotions.
Identify the basic emotions.
Discuss the psychological theories of emotions.
Explain how neuroscience is involved with emotions.
Discuss how to develop emotional intelligence.
Compare and contrast motivation and emotion.
Identify the theories of motivation.
Discuss the concept of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Compare and contrast achievement, hunger, sexual, and motives in conflict.
Discuss the difference between stress and stressors.
Explain the ideas behind GAS (General Adaptation Syndrome).
Explain the effects of stress on the immune system.
Chapter 9 – Psychological Development
Core Concept:
1. How Do Psychologists Explain Development?
2. What Capabilities Does the Child Possess?
3. What Are the Developmental Tasks of Infancy and Childhood?
4. What Changes Mark the Transition of Adolescence?
5. What Developmental Challenges Do Adults Face?
Objectives:
Discuss the nature-nurture controversy.
Identify the concepts of continuity vs. discontinuity with respect to development.
Classify developmental stages of humans (prenatal, neonatal, infancy,
childhood, adolescence, adulthood).
Discuss the theories of Piaget, Erickson, and Kohlberg.
Discuss the theories of attachment and contact comfort (Harlow).
Chapter 10 – Personality
Core Concept:
1. What Forces Shape Our Personalities?
2. What Persistent Patterns Are Found In Personality?
3. What “Theories” Do People Use To Understand Each Other?
Objectives:
Compare and contrast the different personality theories (psychodynamic,
humanistic, socialcognitive, and current trends).
Discuss the concepts of personality and temperament.
Take personality inventories and discuss the results in small groups.
Describe the social and cultural differences in personality.
Chapter 11 – Testing and Individual Differences
Core Concept:
1. How Do We Measure Individual Differences?
2. How Is Intelligence Measured?
3. What Are the Components of Intelligence?
4. How Do Psychologists Explain IQ Differences Among Groups?
Objectives:
Define validity and reliability and discuss their importance in test
measurements.
Define and explain the importance of standardization and norm testing.
Compare and contrast the trait and type theories of personality
Discuss the various types of psychological tests (intelligence, personality, etc.).
Discuss the importance of ethics and standards in testing.
Identify the contributions of Simon and Binet to school testing.
Discuss how intelligence tests are used today.
Discuss the theories of intelligence (psychometric, cognitive, and cultural
definitions).
Discuss how intelligence in influenced by other factors such as heredity and
environment.
Chapter 12 – Psychological Disorders:
Core Concepts:
1. What is Psychological Disorder?
2. How are Psychological Disorders Classified?
3. What are the Consequences of Labeling People?
Objectives:
Discuss the changing concepts of psychological disorder.
dentify the indicators of abnormality.
Identify what the DSM-IV is and how it is used to classify psychological
disorders.
Define and discuss specific psychological disorders from the DSM-IV (mood
disorders, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, dissociative disorders, eating
disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders, development disorders,
adjustment disorders, and other conditions).
-Diagnose vignettes/case studies based on the psychological disorders and the
criteria for specific disorders.
Discuss the impact of diagnostic labels.
Discuss the cultural context of psychological disorders.
A class session will include a guest speaker with a member from the National
Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI provides school programs that discuss
the importance of recognizing the symptoms of mental illness and what steps to
take to get help.
Chapter 13 – Therapies for Psychological Disorders:
Core Concepts:
1. What is Therapy?
2. How Do Psychologists Treat Psychological Disorders?
3. How is the Biomedical Approach Used To Treat Psychological Disorders?
Objectives:
Discuss and identify the reasons one might enter therapy.
Identify the goals of therapy.
Discuss the historical and cultural context of therapy.
Identify, compare, and contrast the different theories of therapy (insight
therapies, behavior therapies, cognitive-behavioral approach).
Evaluate the use of the psychological therapies.
Discuss the use of psychopharmacology and the importance of drug-therapy.
Identify the alternatives to therapy (hospitalization).
Chapter 14 – Social Psychology:
Core Concepts:
1. How Does the Social Situation Affect Our Behavior?
2. Constructing Social Reality: What Influences our Judgments of Others?
3. What are the Roots of Violence and Terrorism?
Objectives:
Discuss the social standards of behavior.
Identify the concept of conformity and how it affects human behavior.
Identify the concepts of obedience and obedience to authority.
Discuss the studies and experiments related to the bystander problem and the
outcome of inaction.
Discuss theories of attraction.
Discuss the impact of prejudice and discrimination.
Identify the social psychology of aggression and violence.
Discuss the “Robbers Cave Experiment.”
Compare and contrast the multiple perspectives on terrorism.
Discuss Philip Zimbardo’s classic Stanford Prison Experiment and the impact it
had on the study of social psychology.